Ed Miliband should succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader, say party members – half of whom believe they will lose the next election if the Prime Minister stays in post.
In a poll indicating the level of unhappiness among the rank and file, the Energy Secretary emerged as the surprise frontrunner.
Mr Miliband – nicknamed Red Ed and widely mocked for his bacon sandwich-eating skills – led Labour from 2010 before quitting in 2015 after David Cameron won a majority at the end of five years of coalition.
Yet despite this, he had the highest approval rating of the likely candidates to replace Sir Keir among members who would elect a leader in a contest.
The YouGov poll also found that a majority (51 per cent) of members believe the party is unlikely to win the next election if the PM stays. More than half (58 per cent) said his Government’s performance had been worse than they expected, according to the survey for City advisers BlondeMoney.
Wes Streeting, the ambitious Health Secretary, came second among members despite being seen as being on the Right of the party, while the members are believed to be on the Left.
Members told YouGov that the ability to beat Nigel Farage was a more important quality in a candidate than sharing their values.
The poll, reported by The Times, also showed a worrying collapse in support for the PM among Labour’s grassroots in the past three months. Leadership speculation has been rife in Westminster following extraordinary briefings against Mr Streeting last month which emanated from No 10.
The Prime Minister was forced to apologise to the Health Secretary, whose hand was strengthened when the briefings backfired on Sir Keir’s team.
The reports, however, sparked renewed discussion – after speculation Manchester mayor Andy Burnham would launch a leadership challenge came to nothing – about who could replace Sir Keir.
Polls put Labour far below Reform UK, level pegging with the Tories and just ahead of the Liberal Democrats and Greens.
Mr Miliband has repeatedly denied that he’d like to return as leader, but has a positive approval rating of 55 per cent.
Mr Streeting – who has refused to rule out a bid – came a clear second, with a positive score of 44 per cent. The same proportion of members (64 per cent) said both Cabinet ministers were ‘doing well’ in their roles.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has also not ruled out a tilt at the leadership, had a score of 18 per cent. New party deputy leader Lucy Powell scored 31 per cent.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves was on 13 per cent despite a chaotic pre-Budget period and questions over whether she had told the truth on forecasts.
Sir Keir was the only senior Labour figure to emerge as more unpopular than popular with members, with a negative rating of 3 per cent. This is down 36 points from a positive rating of 33 per cent in September.
BlondeMoney founder Helen Thomas said: ‘This polling shows that Keir Starmer’s plummeting personal ratings with all voters is similarly reflected in the views of Labour Party members. This is likely to prompt further speculation about Starmer’s successor and thus the direction the party in government chooses to take.’
It was reported tonight that allies of Mr Streeting are urging Angela Rayner to sign up to a ‘joint ticket’ and back him for the party leadership.
Ms Rayner has been promised a role back in Cabinet and a possible return to being deputy prime minister if she agrees, according to sources. A spokesman for Mr Streeting denied the report, while a source close to Ms Rayner insisted there was ‘no pact’.
